Engine control units or control units can be attached to the outside of a component of an internal combustion engine, for example to a crankcase. Because of vibrations, the control units are frequently attached to the internal combustion engine connecting damping elements of elastic materials in between. The damping elements dampen the vibrations originating from the internal combustion engine so that the control unit withstands the use on the internal combustion engine over the lifespan of the internal combustion engine.
In the case of structures in which the control unit is attached to the internal combustion engine on the outside, the attachment is frequently effected by means of two brackets or connecting components. The first connecting component is connected fixed to the internal combustion engine. The second connecting component is connected fixed to the control unit. The damping elements are located between the two brackets.
Other known structures include a control unit directly integrated in an intake air system of an internal combustion engine so that the control unit can be cooled by the intake air. Such systems are disclosed for example in DE 101 04 568 A1, US 2002/104490 A1 and DE 103 03 763 A. While these solutions can be effective, improvements are always desirable.